Like most Mexicans know, the day of the dead is a clear representation of their roots, culture, and traditions of their ancestors, which still today are present in Mexico. Many people want to visit Mexico at least once in their life during those days to live the Mexican culture. But where can you live this unique experience?
Where to experience the Day of the Dead?
The most typical place to celebrate is Mexico City with its big events or Oaxaca as the birthplace of this tradition. We will give you a secret tip, on where else you could celebrate: In the state of San Luis Potosi, there is an occult oasis named the Huasteca Potosina. A place full of blue nature, adventure activities, and a lot of magic.
What is the Day of the Dead?
This celebration is held in many regions of Mexico in different ways, but all have the same aim: celebrating and receiving the spirits of family and friends with offerings. In these offerings, we can find fruit, bread, coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, salt, water, tamales, mole, sweets, etc.
What can also not be missing is the typical paper decoration, copal, incenses, pictures of the deceased, candles, and the cempasúchil flower, which is known as the flower of the dead as it only grows in this time of the year. The offerings are put in place from the 28th of October onwards and stay until the 3rd of November when they can be eaten by the families.
The 1st of November is to honor the children "the day of all saints".
The 2nd of November is to honor the adults "the faithful deceased".
Like we already mentioned beforehand, this tradition is also greatly celebrated in the Huasteca Potosina. Here we can also find different tourism activities from rafting, rappel, and waterfall jumping to the surrealistic garden in xilitla, ziplines, and tubing: there is something for everyone. If you did not get to know this region yet, maybe it is worth visiting around the Day of the Dead to get the perfect combination out of tradition and adventure.
DID YOU KNOW?
In the prehispanic times, they buried their deceased wrapped into a petite (which is a traditional sleeping mat) and started to guide them to the mictlán by giving them water and food they could use on their journey.
Day of the Dead celebration in the Huasteca Potosina
Now imagine the fusion between the Huasteca Potosina with the celebration of Xantolo “All saints”, a ramification of the Day of the Dead celebration, which also has the goal to celebrate our deceased It has a special touch being for example people dressed up as devil skulls, catrinas or other creepy costumes with the theme of the celebration. As well masks made out of wood are very typical. Starting the celebration, dancing in the rhythm of the huapango, very typical in this area, doing night walks around the streets and occasionally costume contests, just to continue the celebration afterward: enjoying life, lights, and the colored streets.
For all the people living inside and outside of the country and do not know this place, we invite you to visit and get to know a small part of Mexican history and the present cultural phenomenon, even a few days or a weekend are enough to get to know this place.
DID YOU KNOW?
In 2008 the UNESCO declared the day of the dead Cultural Inmaterial World heritage of humanity.
Tips from travelers for travelers:
Most likely you arrive at Ciudad Valles, the great door to the huasteca potosina, where you can find everything necessary from ATMs, Hotels, tour operators, bars, and restaurants. Here you can, once you arrive, make an appointment for a tour the next morning and enjoy the nature surrounding this city. In the night, once you get back from your tour you can take a walk on the boulevard, watch the traditional dancers, a costume contest with the typical catrinas, or even join in the celebrations. I can assure you, if you decide to travel on those days you will not regret the experience which all the magic, the decorated streets of Ciudad Valles and all the people you will meet, will give you.
Do you want the full experience?
If you want to get a deeper experience and get to know the celebration 100% you could also visit a graveyard, where you can experience the sensation of the decorations and offerings, the people praying. Obviously, this is something you should always do with a lot of respect and silence to honor the dead and also the people visiting their deceased.
This is totally optional, just in case you want to go now you know. You can! As long as you do it respectfully. Well, now your short trip is almost over, you can obviously stay a few more days, visit different places and do activities around the huasteca potosina, or just return home with the sweet memory of a well-done short trip.
Now that you know that even visiting just for a weekend is worth it, We guarantee you this experience will put you right into Mexican culture and maybe even influence you to put your own offerings and an altar the next year to live our beautiful tradition yourself.